Prelude to the Future
by Icicle Raindream
Summary: A meeting between Heero and Relena leaves them to wonder about the future.


Prelude to the Future

By: Icicle Raindream

Disclaimer: There is no profit being made off this story, as Gundam Wing belongs to its fantastic creators in Japan. I am merely using the characters for entertainment.

Notes: This is a fanfic, right? So I'm not entirely sure if there's enough room in the cockpit of any of the Gundams to fit two people…but, this is fiction, so work with me here. (Didn't Catherine somehow get into the cockpit with Trowa when she totally wailed him across the face? Aww…poor guy…but a great scene, ne?) I don't know…this is just for fun. Tell me what you think, all righty? Read on and enjoy!

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[Relena]

I hardly remembered anything.

There was nothing on my mind except that I was in a dark room, sitting on the damp floor in a short skirt, my blouse dirty, missing a button on the top, my arms chained to the wall, held by rusty shackles that creaked when I tried to move. My hair had once been pinned up, but now some of it hung in my face, tickling my nose, which was added torture since I couldn't scratch with my arms being held up.

But that was all I knew. I had no idea how I'd ended up in this room, held captive to the wall. I couldn't even remember the last time I'd seen daylight.

I only remember one thing for certain: Heero Yuy came to save me.

The door clanked open softly and I looked up from my sprawled position on the floor. His small yet muscular form was black, the light in the hall blinding me from seeing anything but his outline. I saw the gun being put away, to wherever Heero stored his guns on his small frame, and he walked closer to me, kneeling. I just stared at him, hair falling in my face.

He looked right back at me, his face in its usual solemn expression. "Are you hurt?" he asked lowly, his eyes running over my body.

I glanced down at myself; my blouse had little specks of blood on it, the earlier mentioned button was gone, and my skirt was torn a little up the side, but physically I didn't think I felt any pain. I shook my head at him, a pleading look in my eyes.

He knew what I wanted. "Stay still," he warned. He stood up and took a few steps back, pulling his gun from the depths of his clothes. He aimed first at my left hand, fired, and then at my right. Fired. The shackles were off, without a scratch to the skin and hardly any noise.

"Come on," he told me. "We're getting out of here." He rid his hands of his gun and crouched down, lifting me up and supporting me with his arms.

I found my legs again and tried to walk, and every detail of how Heero Yuy got me out of wherever I had been was a blur to me. I didn't remember anything.

*

[Heero]

I turned my screen off, got out of my chair, and turned around.

I stood for a moment, watching her sleep. She was lying on her side, resting her head on her arm, which was flung up over her head. Her gentle fingers were slightly bent, I noted, as if the air was something tangible that she wanted to grasp. Her other arm was curled up by her chin, and her legs were semi-crossed, shoes off. Her small feet poked out of the bottom of the old blanket I had carefully placed over her, and her breathing was light and soft. She slept in the little corner of space behind my pilot's chair.

I walked quietly over to her and kneeled, observing her face, calm in peaceful slumber. I couldn't help myself, I had to look at the rest of her body, too, and it was a mistake. Forgive me for being male.

I had noticed before, as I placed her inside the cockpit of Wing and made her sit down, that the top button of her blouse had been missing. I don't think that's how Relena's shirt looked before she had been captured, and now…

The collar of her blouse had fallen open to one side, revealing the smooth-looking skin that was the top of her left breast. I could see the very edge of the lace that was the outline of her bra; it was this sparkling white color. My eyes trailed over it, following the curve of skin and fabric until I couldn't see anymore lace, just her shirt. I could still feel the satin sliding beneath my fingers.

She shifted slightly in her sleep and the movement shook me up a bit, startling me. Did she remember? I quickly stood up and turned around so I couldn't see her anymore. I hadn't realized before how feminine and attractive she actually was, and I'd succumbed to it, my emotions enveloping me in a whirlwind of bright colors.

I ran a hand over my face, willing myself to forget about her and our past actions for the time being. I just had to wait until she'd slept it off, and maybe she could tell me what had really happened to her in the first place, even though I'd already tried numerous times to get the whole story out of her.

I went back to sit in my chair.

***

[Relena]

I think I might have been dreaming. I was sitting in a chair, surrounded by screens and buttons and hand held controls. Heero was before me, reaching down with a soft, wet cloth and wiping my face. I just looked up at him sleepily and let him continue his work.

"Was it Oz?" he asked in his deep tenor. He ran the rag down the left side of my face, leaving a trail of warm water that turned chilly as the air touched my skin.

I don't think I comprehended his words. "Where am I?" I asked. 

The rag ran over my forehead. "You're in the cockpit of Wing," he told me. "This is the only place you're safe."

"I don't know," I said, his earlier question suddenly burning in my mind. "It might have been Oz."

The cloth stopped for a second. "You don't remember anything?"

I shook my head, bringing a fist up to scrub at my eyes. "Am I asleep?"

Heero crouched down and stared at me, thinking. "You're awake," he said with no emotion. "And your pupils are dilated. I think whoever abducted you also drugged you."

I yawned slightly. "Hmm, that's nice."

"Relena." His voice was stern, and my ever so slowly drooping eyelids opened quickly to look at him. "You have to stay awake. You've already slept for two days."

"Two days?" I exclaimed. "Why didn't you wake me up?"

Heero hesitated for just a split second.

*

[Heero]

How could I tell her? _I'm sorry, I was enjoying watching you sleep, that's all. I found the heart I didn't think I had and it told me to let you stay in your peaceful rest because you deserved it._ If that didn't sound corny, or weak…

I stared hard at her. "Can you tell me anything that happened to you?"

She seemed almost fully alert now, the effects of the drug being pushed temporarily aside. "You saved me," she replied. "That's all I remember."

I clenched the rag tighter in my fist. Great. I was getting nowhere fast.

*

[Relena]

I watched as Heero's eyes traveled down off my face and came to stop on my shirt. I looked down at it and pulled it up, slightly flushed with embarrassment. I hadn't been showing much skin, but I could only imagine what was going through Heero's mind. 

"Did they take advantage of you?" he asked carefully, stepping around his words.

I turned my face from his, my eyes shut, and slowly shook my head. I knew exactly what he meant, and the idea sickened me. I didn't know if I felt ill because of the implied suggestion, or just the fact that I couldn't remember anything that had happened to me. It still made me shudder, implanting a horrible feeling in my stomach.

I felt the cloth on my neck, the side that was exposed to Heero's vision. It felt so soft against my skin, warm…Heero's fingers brushed over my flesh and made it tingle.

"I don't think this blood is yours," he said, removing the cloth. "I don't see any cuts anywhere. Are you sure you're okay?"

I faced him again. "Yes, I'm fine," I said lightly. I was thinking, _But only because you're here, Heero._

Heero Yuy had disappeared off the face of the planet for over a month. He was gone, out of my life, for the same amount of time, and I believed him dead too, like the rest of the world, until I received that letter from Mrs. Noventa. I watched the battle between Heero and Zechs, my…brother, and then Heero had gone again. Vanished. This was the first time I'd seen him in a _long_ time.

Too long. I had never realized how he made me feel then, but my emotions were slapping me in the face now.

I shivered again and reached out, grabbing his hand. It held the warm cloth, and I brought it up to the skin underneath my chin. I placed his hand on my neck and let him take over, bringing the rag down my throat and over my clavicles, above the collar of my blouse. He was surprisingly gentle, Heero Yuy, and somehow the atmosphere in the cockpit of Wing changed, becoming sensual. I don't think either of us realized what we were doing until it was too late.

He wiped smoothly, the warm cloth gliding over my skin and sending teasing shockwaves through my body, hair standing up on my arms. My hands slid up his arm until I grasped his shoulder, and I pulled him closer to me. I could feel his warm breath on my throat, giving me goosebumps from it being still slightly wet.

Somehow Heero managed to fit himself on the pilot's chair with me, and the cloth suddenly disappeared. I'll never know how Heero Yuy got rid of that rag because my attention was diverted when he kissed me. He brought his hand up, sliding up my throat, as his lips pressed warm and soft against mine.

I can't remember too much about what actually happened, my mind was in a daze, but I think that I felt Heero move lower, kissing my neck all the way down, and perhaps another button came undone. It was too much for my body to handle, to think scrupulously about, and all I could do was cling to him, grabbing fistfuls of his blue button-down shirt, holding his warmth close to my body. I could only feel his gentle hands as they glided over me, washing me with comfort and security.

*

[Heero]

I could see in her eyes still, the drug, waiting to take its main toll. I knew that it had caused her to sleep for those two days, and I could only guess that whoever had drugged her wanted her to be completely out of it, for whatever intentions they'd had planned. I prevented that from happening, but I still felt bad about rescuing her. I might be taking advantage of her vulnerability right now.

It seemed as if I couldn't control myself, couldn't stop my actions, which was rather unnerving, being a pilot. If you can't control yourself, than you have no right to pilot a Gundam. Especially Wing.

But as I kissed her skin, I told myself that she was awake enough to tell me to stop, if she wanted me to. She had answered my earlier questions sanely, right? Well, most of them.

It didn't matter. I could hear her voice in my ears, saying my name, but she wasn't panicked or unsure. Her hands were on my cheeks, pulling my face up to look at hers, only to leave in a second and reach for my shirt. For being slightly incapacitated, that girl sure knew how to undo buttons.

***

[Relena]

I slowly dragged my eyes open.

I knew where I was, I could hear Heero's voice in the back of my head, saying, "You're in the cockpit of Wing." I had never been here before, but it was comfortable all the same. I found myself not wanting to leave it, or Heero.

I sat up, rubbing sleep out of my eyes and smoothing my hair back down. There was a movement in front of me as Heero slid out of his pilot's chair and walked around to face me. He stood still, watching me. I got up and faced him, looking into his eyes.

"The drug has worn off," he said, putting his hands in the pockets of his blue slacks.

His sentence threw me into a slight panic. "What drug?" I asked frantically, holding onto the cloth of my skirt.

Heero just looked at me, expressionless. "Don't you remember anything?"

I shook my head. "I know I was captured," I began, pushing my hair behind my ear, "and I remember you coming to get me…told me where I was…I had been sleeping…it's all very vague…"

Heero took a step towards me. "But you don't remember anything else?"

I shook my head. "No," I replied.

*

[Heero]

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Did this girl have a selective memory or what? Should I be insulted by that? I mean, she didn't remember anything that happened last night.

No, that was better. It would be easier to part this way.

"Is there something else I need to remember?" Relena asked me, interrupting my thoughts.

"No," I said. 

"I just slept?"

"For a very long time."

"How long?"

"Few days."

"Oh. Because of the drug?"

"Yes."

Silence.

I cleared my throat. "Anyway, if whoever captured you before wanted you, I think they would have come to get you by now. It's time for you to leave."

*

[Relena]

I swallowed. "You want me to leave, Heero?"

He looked away. "I have a mission to carry out, Relena. You can't be with me, you know that."

I nodded, heart sinking to the floor. I had finally seen him again and he was sending me away already, because duty called. A true soldier.

I hated it.

But I knew he was right. I wanted him to go on his mission, I wanted peace restored to Earth. It was what my father wanted, and I guess if losing Heero meant that we might have a chance at peace, it was entirely worth it.

"Just don't get yourself killed, okay, Heero?" I said, straightening my shirt.

"I won't fail," was his response.

*

[Heero]

I walked over to her, feeling slightly like a cad. I really felt like I had used her now that she didn't remember anything. Damn drugs.

"Here," I said, stepping close to her. I dug around in my pocket and pulled out a small golden chain, holding it out to her. "It…fell off."

She smiled at the returned gift. "It was from my father," she told me quietly. "Would you mind putting it on for me?" She took a hold of her hair and moved it over one shoulder, waiting.

I guess I had no choice.

*

[Relena]

Heero stepped behind me, reaching with my necklace over my head, and then pulled it up and clasped it. As his fingers brushed over my skin, a slight shock went through me, awakening my mind.

I could feel it. His hands, smoothing over my skin…his lips, on my own…his skin, warmth emanating from it…it was all coming back to me.

I turned and faced him, moving quickly. Usually a sharp movement like that would take one by surprise, but Heero merely stood there, depositing his hands back into his pockets. I studied his face, he studied mine. No expressions, no movement, barely any breathing.

We both knew. He could tell that I remembered now.

*

[Heero]

I didn't say anything. Was there even anything to say to her? I didn't think so, so I just kept quiet, watching her reaction.

She smiled at me, her eyes falling from my face to my shirt. I looked down at it, my face internally heating up. Most of the top buttons were still undone, exposing some of my chest to her. I wasn't ashamed of my body, in fact I could've cared less, but I also couldn't help but feel a little nervous at her analyzing me.

I looked back up at her, willing myself to keep a straight and calm-looking face.

"Well," she began, shifting her weight a little, "thank you, Heero Yuy. I'm very grateful, and now I owe you one." She paused. "Perhaps sometime in the future we will see each other again."

I didn't say anything, just let her squeeze by me. She stopped at the entrance of Wing's cockpit, and turned. "Aren't you going to let me out?"

I leaned over a control panel and clicked a button, sending the door to Wing whooshing open. I watched as Relena grabbed onto the lowering cord and prepared herself to leave.

"If you ever need me," she called, out of my sight as she reached the ground, "I know you'll know how to find me."

The door swung closed. I reached to another control panel and clicked a different button, lighting up a screen on my right. I watched as Relena bravely walked away by herself, the wind blowing through her hair. I sighed, hands back in my pockets.

"The future isn't that far away, Relena Peacecraft." 


End file.
